


Empty Chairs & Aching Hearts

by rosesmallow



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Baking, Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem)-centric, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mercedes Is a Sweetheart With Angel Wings, grieving Byleth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:22:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23518381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesmallow/pseuds/rosesmallow
Summary: Unfortunately, for all of Sothis’ incredible power, she couldn’t temper Byleth’s nightmares.The dreams weren’t new. Byleth had her fair share of restless nights over the past year: the problem with the Divine Pulse was that Byleth retained her memory of events that could have happened. Students fell in battle, Sothis rewound time. They lived on, narrowly avoiding death by mere second chance.Or the one where Byleth can't sleep: when she does, she dreams of students she's not able to save or the death of her father Jeralt. Grieving is a difficult process, but with her students around, Byleth is never alone.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & My Unit | Byleth, Mercedes von Martritz & My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Empty Chairs & Aching Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> During my initial playthrough of the Blue Lions route, I realized that everytime I used the divine pulse in battle to save a student meant that, canonically in my route, Byleth had to watch several of her beloved students fall in battle before Sothis used the divine pulse to turn back time and save them, so, obviously, I had to write a fic about it.
> 
> I apparently can't write any Fire Emblem fic without having a prominent focus on Mercedes, so expect lots of sweetness in this fic, as well as hurt/comfort. 
> 
> Triggers: Referenced Character Death, Grieving
> 
> Thanks to Braigwen (exlibrisastra on Tumblr) for editing this for me!

A damp breeze followed Byleth as she shuffled into the dark dining hall. Empty tables and empty chairs greeted her in the darkness, a silent haven for her to —

“ _ Do you think there’s any strudel left?”  _

Sothis’ voice cut across the welcomed quiet. Byleth almost started, but forced herself not to flinch - she was not in the mood for another reproach from Sothis on being easily frightened.

“ _ Your lack of faith in me is the only frightening thing here.”  _ Sothis sniffed, picking up on Byleth’s thoughts, “ _ I merely thought a strudel would help lighten your spirits, much as anything could these days.” _

Byleth worried at her bottom lip and marched toward the kitchen. It was true that Sothis had spent the past week using their connection to provide whatever support she could during Byleth’s time of grieving. The kids had been good, too — Dimitri offered his hand in bringing down the murderers that took Jeralt from her, and Bernadetta helped bring flowers down to Jeralt’s and Byleth’s mother’s grave. 

Even Claude had checked in on her and offered her some sweets; Raphael gave her a bone-crushing hug when he first saw her after Jeralt’s passing. Dedue had brought Byleth a special Duscur dish one night when he noted she hadn’t been to the dining hall that afternoon.

Which brought Byleth back to now, midnight weariness blurring her vision at the edges as she began the basic preparations of a sandwich. Nothing special, and she doubted it would taste as good as Sothis’ desired strudel, but it would fill her belly and that’s all she could ask for right now, aside from a decent night’s rest.

Because, unfortunately, for all of Sothis’ incredible power, she couldn’t temper Byleth’s nightmares. 

The dreams weren’t new. Byleth had her fair share of restless nights over the past year: the problem with the Divine Pulse was that Byleth retained her memory of events that could have happened. Students fell in battle, Sothis rewound time. They lived on, narrowly avoiding death by mere second  _ chance _ . 

In her dreams, there weren’t any second chances. Just fallen students — kids,  _ her _ kids — that held onto her in their final moments. All year, Byleth barely allowed herself to entertain the thought of what she’d do if, by some awful stroke of luck, the divine pulse wouldn’t be enough, and she’d lose them anyway.

As Byleth brought down the cutting knife into the skin of the bread loaf, a gasp broke the silence, followed by a soft, melodic and familiar, “Oh, Professor! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were awake.” 

Byleth turned to find Mercedes standing in the doorway, fidgeting with her hands. Her silky blonde hair had been pulled up into a ponytail, and there was an apron thrown over her regular clothes. 

Byleth motioned at the apron with the knife, asked “What’s that for?” and returned to slicing the bread. 

“Oh!” Mercedes took a step forward into the kitchen. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d come in and bake some cookies for Ashe.” Byleth lifted her head inquisitively, and Mercedes’ face fell. “He’s still upset about Lord Lonato...one could hardly blame him, but I thought some chocolate would lift his spirits.”

Mercedes once told Byleth that she had a sense for when people were upset, and from what Byleth had come to know about the young lady, she made that — and her compassion — her strongest asset. “That’s a great idea,” Byleth told her earnestly, a smile ghosting across her face. “I think Ashe would appreciate it.”

Mercedes lit up, “Thank you! If you don’t mind me asking, Professor, could you not sleep either?”

Byleth hesitated as she pulled apart the two slices of bread. It wasn’t as if she could speak of what haunted her nightmares, no one knew of the divine pulse — or Sothis — but her.

_ “You could at least speak to her about Jeralt,”  _ Sothis supplied helpfully from the corners of Byleth’s subconsciousness, a yawn evident in her voice.  _ “I am here for you, but you must also rely on those who aren’t trapped within your mind.” _

_ I’m also her teacher, _ Byleth fired back even as she admitted aloud to Mercedes, “No, I couldn’t. I keep dreaming of my father.”

Mercedes lowered her head, whispering something Byleth didn’t catch, but could only guess was a prayer to the goddess. When Mercedes looked up, her eyes were sparkling. “I know it’s not in your nature to lean on others, Professor, but we are all here for you.” Mercedes took a step forward, and wrapped her arms around Byleth, whose arms went stationary and body stiff.

After a moment, Byleth managed to pat Mercedes gently on the shoulder _ ,  _ and the other woman released her. Byleth let out an exhale and rolled her shoulders, “Thank you, Mercedes.” Byleth hesitated, then motioned at the bread. “I was making a sandwich, but if you want help with the cookies…?” 

Byleth didn’t know anyone’s eyes could light up as excitedly as Mercedes’ did. “That would be great, Professor! I’m sure Ashe would appreciate it even more,” she lowered her voice, “and it might take your mind off things.” 

“ _ I should truly hope so.”  _ Sothis commented.

“I’ll warn you,” Byleth said as she finished putting together her sandwich, “I’ve never baked before.”

“Don’t worry about it, Professor! I’ve got a knack for it!” Mercedes assured her, sweeping around Byleth to get the necessary ingredients and pans. 

Byleth took a thoughtful bite of her sandwich and listened intently as Mercedes rattled off what they’d need, and how best to prepare the cookies, treating it with the same seriousness as she would battle drills, which seemed to amuse Mercedes, although Byleth wasn’t entirely sure why.

✥

The sun was clear and blue the next morning as Byleth and Mercedes crossed the bridge to the cathedral together, Mercedes’ arm full with a plate of warm cookies that had already gained the attention of several students, including Lysithea, who’d followed after them like a puppy for a few minutes until they’d relented and gave her a cookie. She’d skipped away, humming cheerfully as she munched into the soft, warm desert. 

Inside the cathedral was as thoughtfully quiet as it normally was. Byleth inclined her head at the choir instructor as they passed. They found Ashe sitting in the last row of pews, his head hung low in prayer.

It didn’t take long for him to realize he was being watched, and Ashe lifted his head. First his eyes fell on the cookies, then they swung over to Byleth, then landed on Mercedes. “What’s going on?”

“Why don’t you tell him, Professor?” Mercedes asked serenely, fixing her hold on the plate. Byleth blanched, then nodded.

“They’re for you. We baked them.” She still wasn’t a great conversationalist, and she looked towards Mercedes for guidance but the younger girl pointedly ignored her silent plea for help. “Mercedes said you were upset about Lonato...I-I understand now, Ashe. I am sorry.” The words fell clumsily, but Byleth  _ meant  _ them, as much as she meant it when she swore revenge against Solon and Monica. 

Ashe stared at her incredulously for a beat, then stood and gathered Byleth into a sudden hug; Byleth floundered, unsure where to put her arms, and then awkwardly patted him on the shoulder-blade.

“Thank you, Professor — and you, too, Mercedes — this was so kind of you.” Ashe pulled back, “And in the midst of your own grieving, no less.”

“The Professor cares a lot about us,” Mercedes agreed, turning her attention towards Byleth, “Although I don’t always believe she realizes we’re here for her as much as she is for us.”

_ The girl has a point, you know,  _ Sothis tutted. Byleth inwardly rolled her eyes at the sleepy girl, then smiled at Mercedes and Ashe, “You’ve all done more than you’ll ever know.”

Ashe smiled back, if a bit quizzically, but judging from the knowing yet serene smile on Mercedes' face, she understood what Byleth meant: the same realization Jeralt had in Remire Village. Her students had changed Byleth for the better, and although her heart ached with loss she was not accustomed to feeling, she would not have it any other way. 

On the way back from the cathedral, Mercedes pulled a final chocolate chip cookie from her cloak and handed it to Byleth. “I saved one for you, Professor. Sweets, I find, always soothes the soul for a little while.”

Byleth took it. It was delicious.

(She also took the sweets Annette and Mercedes presented her with the next day when Byleth arrived in the dining hall for lunch.)

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](https://highrepublics.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/teganmrie).


End file.
